Commenting article: US President Bush Buys Home in One of Texas Wealthiest Neighborhoods

US President George Bush and first lady Laura Bush have purchased a new home in one of the wealthiest Dallas, Texas neighborhoods, world information agencies reported citing Laura Bush's press secretary, Sally McDonough.

The Bushes' new home is located in the Preston Hollow area, which is known for some of the most expensive houses in the entire state, and the place where Texas's wealthiest people live.
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Highland Park is closer to downtown and to the university and is considered the "Beverly Hills" of Dallas. It even looks like Beverly Hills. Preston Hollow is a bit further north of downtown, but it is also very upscale. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Bush will have a longer commute to downtown from Preston Hollow, that's all.

Preston Hollow is really elite; but Highland Park has its own police, fire departments, and schools, so it's a protected bubble within the somewhat crappy city of Dallas. Of course George and Laura don't have to worry about security or schools, so I'm sure they will enjoy what I perceived as larger lot sizes and estate homes in Preston Hollow. Breathing room.

Recip, you must be remembering Deep Ellum as something else, because it's a converted industrial loft area with a lot of bars. Not necessarily prestigious, but hip, I guess. Uptown is much younger and along with Oak Lawn there's a large gay community there, I think. Probably not as many well-off older folks as PH or HP. Highland Village is way out in the boonies on Lake Lewisville, not in Dallas. Maybe you're thinking of Highland PARK Village, a shopping center; and the area around it is very nice indeed.

PS-
I know a million dollars ain't what it used to be, but the Dallas area is one populated place where Bill MIGHT be able to get that $100,000 frame house with decent heating on a street with almost sort of relatively normal neighbors without being shot at the first day. :)

FIG,
"The 8500 sq feet home, believed to be a 10141 Daria Place Preston Hollow has been recently renovated and includes 4 1/2 bathrooms, a cabana and detached servants quarters. The price was $2 million."

Yes, maybe it is nice inside. I must say, most of the really nice houses in Preston Hollow are in the $6 million range. Bush got a huge house for only $2 million. He definitely got value for his money.

buachaill bo,
That's entirely possible. Of course it is very difficult to compare, but you COULD buy a house for $5,000-$7,500 in Dallas and it would have electricity, running water, sewer, a paved street, telephone available, cable tv and internet available, etc., but it might be next door to a crack house or a boarded up ruin. You would not be safe living there and you'd have to send your kids to private schools. Could you buy a habitable house in Bulgaria with any infrastructure for that price?

In the surrounding suburbs, maybe not the absolute wealthiest ones, you could get a 5,000 square foot McMansion for $250,000 and up. The metropolitan area covers a very very large area and there is a lot of existing housing stock as well as a LOT of room to expand, so you get a lot of value for your dollar. Freeway infrastructure is excellent so it's not impractical to drive 40-50 miles to work. You wouldn't be in the heart of the city, but there's tons of shopping and plenty of restaurants everywhere. (Not so much nightlife, though, if that matters.)

You could also get a more modest (let's say 1,300 sq ft.) house in the same kind of suburb for $75,000. On the other hand, if you wanted a deluxe apartment downtown, it would cost more than Sofia because there just aren't that many available. http://www.victoryresidences.com/floorplans/index.html ... Dallas has a lot of suburban sprawl, but there's been some residential building downtown in recent years and it's geared toward the wealthy.

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